Ara Parseghian
The charismatic architect who resurrected Notre Dame football, delivering two national championships and restoring its fighting spirit.
1923–2017 (age 94)·American football player and coach·Birthday: May 21·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Ara Parseghian's story is one of resurrection. After a professional football career was cut short by injury, he turned to coaching, first achieving success at Northwestern University. But his legacy was forged in South Bend. When he arrived at Notre Dame in 1964, the football program was adrift, suffering through five losing seasons. Parseghian, with his fiery demeanor and strategic brilliance, transformed the team overnight, nearly winning the national title in his first year. He restored the Fighting Irish to national prominence with a blend of tough defense, innovative offense, and an almost mystical ability to motivate. His 1966 team, famous for its epic 10-10 tie with Michigan State, is considered one of the greatest in college football history, and he secured national championships in 1966 and 1973. He retired in 1974, leaving behind a restored dynasty and a standard of excellence that defined an era.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Ara was born in 1923, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Ara Was Born
The biggest hits of 1923
#1 Movie
The Covered Wagon
Ara's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1923Born
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1928Started school
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1936Became a teenager
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Could drive
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1941Could vote
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1944Turned 21
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1953Turned 30
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1963Turned 40
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1973Turned 50
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1983Turned 60
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1993Turned 70
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 80
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2017Died at 94
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
Key Achievements
- Led the University of Notre Dame to national championships in 1966 and 1973.
- Achieved a 95-17-4 record over 11 seasons as head coach at Notre Dame.
- Was named national Coach of the Year in 1964 after turning around Notre Dame's losing program.
- Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 1980.
Did You Know?
He was of Armenian descent, with his grandparents surviving the Armenian genocide.
Before coaching at Notre Dame, he was a successful halfback at Miami University (Ohio) and played briefly for the Cleveland Browns.
The Ara Parseghian Medical Research Foundation, founded by his family, is dedicated to finding a cure for Niemann-Pick disease, which affected three of his grandchildren.
“A prayer doesn't always change a situation, but it changes you, and you can change the situation.”
